Ball-return billiard table with cooperating racking device

ABSTRACT

A billiard table with ball-return tracks leading from the pockets to a ball-storage station at one end of the table, and having a triangular racking device with a removable bottom wall for collecting balls and transporting them to the table in a triangular group. The racking device is supported with one corner elevated, and different angles of incline toward the other two corners, and balls are delivered to the elevated corner by various alternative forms of feeder paths associated with the tracks.

United States Patent 1191 Miller 1 Apr. 17, 1973 1 BALL-RETURN BILLIARD TABLE WITH COOPERATING RACKING DEVICE [76] Inventor: Marvin A. Miller, 4323 W. Pico Boulevard, Los Angeles, Calif. 90019 [22] Filed: Sept. 17, 1971 [21] Appl. No.: 181,299

[52] US. Cl. .273/11 R, 273/22 [51] Int. Cl.

[58] I Field of Search ..273/l1 R, 11 C, 22, 273/86 C; 46/43; 53/143, 245, 246

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS Ryan ..273/ll R Schweer ..273/1 1 R 1,089,262 3/1914 Post et a1. ..273/l1 R 1,703,448 2/ 1929 Horstmann 3,627,321 12/1971 Sardo ..273/22 3,178,184 4/1965 Glassman ..273/l08 Primary Examiner-Richard C. Pinkham Assistant Examiner-R. T. Stoufier Att0rneyFulwider, Patton, Rieber, Lee & Utecht ABSTRACT A billiard table with ball-return tracks leading from the pockets to a ball-storage station at one end of the table, and having a triangular racking device with a removable bottom wall for collecting balls and transporting them to the table in a triangular. group. The racking device is supported with one corner elevated,

and different angles of incline toward the other two corners, and ballsare delivered to the elevated corner by various alternative forms of feeder paths associated with the tracks.

4 Claims, 9 Drawing Figures PATENTED'APR 1 7197s SHEET 1 0F 2 PAT APR ENTED 171975 14,

SHEEI 2 OF 2 BALL-RETURN BILLIARI) TABLE WITH COOPERATING RACKING DEVICE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to billiard or pool tables and, more particularly, to pocket-type tables having automatic ball return tracks for conveying balls that have been played into the pockets back to a ball-storage sta- .open lower side of a triangular frame so that balls can be collected in the racking device at the storage station, carried to the top of the table when filled, and opened by removal of the bottom wall to deposit the balls in a triangular group on the table.

Such racking devices have been known, and have been used in tables with automatic ball returns of this general character, with the intent that successive balls played into the pockets of the table would be deposited in the racking device to fill the latter progressively until all of the balls are in the racking device and ready for transfer to the table top. Difficulties have been experienced with these prior tables, however, primarily as a result of jamming of incoming balls against balls that previously had been delivered to the racking device and lie in positions blocking the entry of subsequent balls.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention resides in the combination ofa basically conventional ball-return table and a racking device of the foregoing character, with a novel support for the racking device and delivery system from the ball-return tracks, so as to eliminate the problems of the prior automatic ball-return tables in a simple and inexpensive manner, and specifically to insure that the racking device is filled smoothly and without danger of jamming of balls. 1

More specifically, and as illustrated in the preferred embodiments shown herein, the racking device is supported with one corner elevated relative to the remainder of the device, and with the bottom wall inclined downwardly from that corner toward both of the other corners, and the ball-return system delivers balls one-by-one to the elevated corner portion, into the position to be occupied by the last ball delivered to complete the filling of the device. Moreover, the racking device has a sharper downward incline toward one of the remote corners than toward the other, to fill the lowest corner first, the other remote corner second, and the elevated corner last.

In one form of the invention, balls are delivered from opposite sides of the ball-storage station onto an inclined wall overlying the racking device and defining an opening overlying the elevated corner portion, which is an outer corner portion of the racking device. In a second form, balls are delivered to the inner corner portion, or nose, of the racking device by two tracks positioned on opposite sides of the nose and releasing balls directly into the latter, preferably through notched sidewalls of the racking device. The third form also delivers balls directly to the inner corner portion,

by means of a single feeder track which receives balls from branch tracks leading to the individual pockets.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. I is a fragmentary perspective view of a billiard table embodying the novel features of the present invention, and having internal ball-return tracks shown in dotted lines, and partly broken away at one end for clarity of illustration;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken in vertical plane extending across the table adjacent the end shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary cross-section taken substantially along the line 3-3 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the racking device, shown with the bottom wall in a partly separated condition;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary top plan view of one end portion of a table similar to that of FIGS. 1-3, but showing an alternative form of the invention, part of the table being broken away to show a modified racking device in the ball-storage station;

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary end view, partly in cross-section, of the racking device and related elements of FIG.

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view taken substantially along line 7-7 of FIG. 5;

FIG. 8 is a perspective view similar to FIG. 4 showing the modified racking device of FIGS. 5 through 7; and

FIG. 9 is a schematic top plan view of still another alternative form of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE FIRST EMBODIMENT As shown in the drawings for purposes of illustration, and with particular reference to FIGS. 1 through 4, the invention is embodied in a billiard table 10 having a plurality of pockets l1, typically six located at its cor ners and centered on the two longitudinal sides of the table (as shown in full in FIG. 9), to receive balls played on the top 12 of the table. Built into the sides and ends of the table are ball return tracks 13 which receive balls from the pockets through chutes 14 below the pockets 11, and carry the balls around the table to a ball-collecting and ball-storage station 15, herein at the end of the table shown in FIG. 1. The tracks may take any conventional form, herein being shown as having spaced ribs 17 (see FIGS. 2 and 3) between which the balls are guided.

In the past, it has been customary in commercial tables to deliver the balls to an open shelf (not shown) on which the balls were held preparatory to starting a new game. Then the balls were carried by hand, singly or in small groups, to the top of the table for arrangement in a triangular group, and shaped by a triangular frame called a rack, which was used to position the balls in 'the proper place on the table for the next game.

the returning balls, so that the balls can be carried to the table in the racking device rather than individually. Then, with the racking device in place on the table, the bottom wall can be slid out from under the balls to release them onto the table.

Such a racking device is indicated generally at 18 in FIGS. 1 through 4, and is inserted in the ball storage station through a slot in the apron 19 forming one end of the table 10. The tracks 13 extend along the longitudinal sides of the table, inside the aprons thereof, and turn at right angles at 20 toward the ball-storage station 15. Both tracks are inclined downwardly toward the station 15 so that all balls dropped through the pockets 11 roll along the tracks to the station, and then drop off the tracks into the racking device 18.

As shown most clearly in FIG. 4, the racking device 18 comprises a triangular rack 21 of conventional form, having open upper and lower sides and sized to receive a predetermined number of balls, typically IS, with a relatively close fit. The movable bottom wall is a triangular base plate 22 which closes the lower side of the rack and is slidable into and out of the operative position shown in FIG. 3, A handle 23 is attached to one straight side of the base plate, and has a flange 24 which hooks over the top of the rack to hold one side of the base plate against the rack. A retainer 25 is attached to the inner corner of the rack opposite the handle 23 and defines a slot 27 into which the corresponding corner of the base plate 22 slides to complete the sliding attachment of the base plate to the rack. A slide plate 28 preferably as connected to the underside of the base plate adjacent the inner corner to prevent the base plate from dropping to the table as it is pulled from the rack to release the balls.

In accordance with the present invention, the racking device 18 is supported and fed in a novel manner to insure smooth filling of the rack 21 without danger ofjamming of balls or blocking of the entry path of balls that subsequently are fed to the racking device. For this purpose, the racking device is supported with one corner elevated relative to the remainder of the device, and with the bottom wall 22 inclined downwardly toward the other two corners at different angles, and balls are delivered to the elevated corner and to the position to be occupied by the last ball to enter the racking device as the latter is filled. Thus, each ball, upon dropping into the racking device, promptly rolls away from the entry position and toward the lowest portion of the racking device, to fill the latter progressively toward the entry position, and the last ball simply drops into its proper place in the entry position.

In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 through 3, the slot in the apron 19 opens into a chamber constituting the ball-storage station 15 and defined by a box-like structure 29 mounted on the underside of the table inside the apron 19. The racking device 18 rests on the bottom wall 30 of this structure, and thus is positioned by the bottom wall with the base plate 22 at the desired angle relative to the horizontal. In FIG. 3, it can be seen that the bottom wall 30 slopes downwardly and to the right, which is inwardly under the table as viewed in FIG. 1. In FIG. 2, it can be seen that the bottom wall also slopes downwardly to the right, laterally across the end of the table. The lateral slope is at a lesser angle than the inward slope shown in FIG. 3.

To deliver balls to the elevated corner, on the left in FIG. 2, a wall 31 is disposed across the top of the chamber 15 and positioned to receive balls as they roll off the ends 32 of the two tracks on opposite sides of the top wall 31. This wall is inclined downwardly to the left, and an opening 33 is formed through it in vertical alignment with the entry position of the rack 21. It can be seen in FIG. 2 that the track on the left drops balls almost directly into this opening, while balls from the track on the right roll across the top wall to the openmg.

In FIG. 3, the position of a ball 34 on the track 13 is shown in full lines above the opening 33, and the position of the ball as it is dropped into the entry position is shown in broken lines at 35. As indicated by the arrow 37, the ball then rolls along the base plate 22 toward the nose of the rack 21, into the position shown in full lines at 38 if there are no previous balls in the rack.

After the first ball is in the rack 21, successive balls follow virtually the same path toward the nose, and stack up against the balls previously delivered to the racking device. Because the bottom wall 30 and the base plate 22 are inclined toward one side as well as inwardly, the balls are urged in an orderly fashion toward the right (FIG. 2) as well as inwardly, although it should be recognized that bouncing from one position to another can occur. v

With the present invention, however, all of the balls settle away from the entry position to insure that this position is open as the last ball is delivered to the racking device. The difference between the lateral and inward inclines prevents balls from simply lining up along one side and eventually blocking the entry position before the rack is full.

Then, when it has been completely filled, the racking device 18 simply is pulled out of the ball-storage station 15 and placed on the table top 12, and the base plate 22 is pulled out by means of the handle 23. This releases the balls within the rack 21, with which the balls are positioned in a conventional manner before the rack is lifted off the table.

Before resuming play, the base plate 22 is slipped back into place, and the racking device is inserted back into the station 15, and positioned therein with the left corner (FIG. 2) beneath the opening 33. Suitable guides may be provided to facilitate this positioning, as shown most clearly in FIG. 5, or the box-like structure may be formed with sidewalls 39 (FIG. 2) which converge inwardly and constitute guides for the racking device.

DESCRIPTION OF THE ALTERNATIVE EMBODIMENTS Shown in FIGS. 5 through 8 is an alternative embodiment which uses the same general principles as the'first form, but differs in several details. In this instance, as before, the racking device 40 is inserted in a chamber 41 inside the table 10 through a slot in one end, and is supported at an angle on the bottom wall 42 of a boxlike structure 43 defining the chamber 41. One straight side of the racking device is parallel to the end of the table and positioned close to the slot, and the corner forming the nose of the racking device is spaced inwardly from this straight side.

As shown in FIG. 5, two tracks 44 spaced inwardly from the apron at the end of the table extend toward the opposite sides of the racking device, closely adjacent the nose, to direct balls into the racking device from both sides. The entry position is the position of the ball at the nose, and the sidewalls of the rack on opposite sides of the nose preferably are notched, as indicated at 45, to permit entry of the balls below the level of the tops of the sidewalls.

In this case, the racking device 40 is supported on an inclined bottom wall 42 which holds the base plate 47 inclined relatively steeply outwardly, to the left in FIG. 7, and less steeply to one side, the right side in FIG. 6. Thus, the balls roll toward the nose as indicated by the arrows 48 in FIG. 5, and then roll toward the outer right corner, as indicated by the arrow 49, and fill the rack progressively from the outer side toward the entry position at the nose. Preferably, the ends 50 of the tracks are inclined to receive the nose between them as shown in FIG. 5, and inclined guide strips 51 are fastened to the bottom wall 42 to facilitate the rapid placement of the racking device relative to the tracks.

Other parts shown in FIGS. 5 through 8 and not specifi cally discussed, may be the same as the corresponding parts in the first embodiment, and bear the same reference numbers.

Another arrangement of tracks is illustrated in FIG. 9, in which balls also are fed to the nose of the racking device indicated generally at 52. This racking device is supported with the same incline as that in FIGS. 5 through 7, so that balls roll generally in the direction indicated by the arrow 53. g

Instead of tracks extending along the longitudinal sides of the table 10, as in FIG. 1, the table shown in FIG. 9 has a central track 54 which is inclined toward the ball-storage station 55, and is fed by individual branch tracks 57 and 58 from the various pockets 11. Thus, all of the balls roll to the central track, and then are carried along the latter to the racking device.

' From the foregoing, it will be seen that the present invention achieves smooth and trouble-free loading of the racking device in a very simple and inexpensive manner which is readily adaptable to ball-return tables of various types. It also will be evident that, while particular forms of the invention have been illustrated and described, various modifications maybe made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

I claim:

1. In a billiard table having a plurality of pockets for receiving balls from the top of the table, and tracks extending from said pockets to a ball-storage station beneath said top at a preselected location around the table, the combination of:

a ball-racking device having an open-sided triangular rack and a flat bottom wall slidably mounted on the underside of said rack to close the open lower side thereof during collection of balls in a triangular group in the rack, to hold each ball of said group in a preselected position when the racking device is filled, and to release the balls upon the table upon sliding of said bottom wall from under the rack;

means for removably supporting said racking device at said ball-storage station on an inclined plane with one corner portion ofsaid rack and the preselected position of a ball to be held in said one corner portion elevated relative to the remainder of the racking device, and with a sharper and means associated with said tracks for delivering balls therefrom to said elevated corner portion of said rack and generally to said preselected position of the ball to be held in said corner portion, whereby each ball enters the racking device and rolls therein away from the elevated corner, to fill the rack progressively from said elevated corner portion while avoiding blocking of the entry of balls into the rack.

2. The combination defined in claim 1 in which said supporting means for said racking device hold the latter with one flat side generally parallel to a side of said table and with said bottom wall inclined inwardly toward the corner of said rack remote from said one flat side, and also inclined laterally but at a lesser angle, whereby both said remote corner and a corner of the rack at one end of said flat side, are lower than the remaining corner.

3. The combination defined in claim 2 in which said tracks approach said storage station from opposite sides of, and above, said racking device, and said means associated with said tracks comprise a delivery wall overlying said racking device and receiving balls from said tracks, said delivery wall defining an opening overlying said elevated corner portion and being inclined toward said opening to guide balls thereto.

4. The combination defined in claim 3 in which one of said tracks discharges balls onto said delivery wall to 'roll to said opening, and another of said tracks terminates adjacent said opening to deliver balls directly thereto. 

1. In a billiard table having a plurality of pockets for receiving balls from the top of the table, and tracks extending from said pockets to a ball-storage station beneath said top at a preselected location around the table, the combination of: a ball-racking device having an open-sided triangular rack and a flat bottom wall slidably mounted on the underside of said rack to close the open lower side thereof during collection of balls in a triangular group in the rack, to hold each ball of said group in a preselected position when the racking device is filled, and to release the balls upon the table upon sliding of said bottom wall from under the rack; means for removably supporting said racking device at said ballstorage station on an inclined plane with one corner portion of said rack and the preselected position of a ball to be held in said one corner portion elevated relative to the remainder of the racking device, and with a sharper downward incline from said one corner portion to one of the other corner portions than to the third corner portion; and means associated with said tracks for delivering balls therefrom to said elevated corner portion of said rack and generally to said preselected position of the ball to be held in said corner portion, whereby each ball enters the racking device and rolls therein away from the elevated corner, to fill the rack progressively from said elevated corner portion while avoiding blocking of the entry of balls into the rack.
 2. The combination defined in claim 1 in which said supporting means for said racking device hold the latter with one flat side generally parallel to a side of said table and with said bottom wall inclined inwardly toward the corner of said rack remote from said one flat side, and also inclined laterally but at a lesser angle, whereby both said remote corner and a corner of the rack at one end of said flat side, are lower than the remaining corner.
 3. The combination defined in claim 2 in which said tracks approach said storage station from opposite sides of, and above, said racking device, and said means associated with said tracks comprise a delivery wall overlying said racking device and receiving balls from said tracks, said delivery wall defining an opening overlying said elevated corner portion and being inclined toward said opening to guide balls thereto.
 4. The combination defined in claim 3 in which one of said tracks discharges balls onto said delivery wall to roll to said opening, and another of said tracks terminates adjacent said opening to deliver balls directly thereto. 